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Maradona admits 'doors closed' on Argentina job

BUENOS AIRES (AFP) - Diego Maradona admitted on Saturday that he is unlikely to be restored to the role of Argentina coach in the immediate future.

"I have no chance of becoming national coach," Maradona told Argentine television station Telefe.

"Lots of things would have to change. Maybe it will happen later. Today, the doors to the national team are closed."

Maradona led Argentina to the quarter-finals at the World Cup in South Africa, where they were thrashed 4-0 by Germany, and his contract was subsequently not renewed by the Argentine Football Association (AFA).

The former great, who turns 50 on October 30, also declared that he did not regret saying that AFA president Julio Grondona had lied to him about wanting to prolong his contract or that team manager Carlos Bilardo was "a traitor".

Maradona, who captained Argentina to World Cup glory in Mexico in 1986, was succeeded as Argentina coach on an interim basis by a fellow team-mate from the 1986 triumph Sergio Batista, who is expected to hold onto the role full-time.